


Breaking the News

by Jack_Francis_Kelly



Series: When the strike fails [3]
Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Angst, Character Death, F/M, I am so sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:07:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23700550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jack_Francis_Kelly/pseuds/Jack_Francis_Kelly
Summary: The boys need to tell Medda, Kath and Spot that Snyder killed Jack
Relationships: Jack Kelly & Medda Larkin, Jack Kelly/Katherine Plumber, Racetrack Higgins & Jack Kelly, Spot Conlon & Jack Kelly
Series: When the strike fails [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1705561
Comments: 6
Kudos: 25





	1. Medda

Race carried Jack out, sobbing once again. Everythm hurt. Jack was so scared of the refuge. One of his biggest fears was dying there. And he did. They tried to comfort him. But he knew Jack was scared. They made it to Meddas theatre, everyone sobbing. Race was hidden behind the boys. 

“What happened?” The kind woman asked. 

“Mrs… Mrs. Medda… please sit down.” Davey said.She welcomed them in and took a seat. Then she saw Race. She saw her little boy in Race’s arms. Medda loved all the boys, but Jack, Jack was special.She broke down with the rest of them and held her arms out, Race handed over Jack.

“My baby.” The woman wept, just holding him. “My baby boy…” She kissed his forehead. The boys all cried more. Race and Crutchie collapsed and just held each other. Medda looked at her baby again, realizing how at peace he was. “What happened to him… my baby…”

“He-he… He didn’t want us getting hurt. He let Snyda t-take it a...all out on ‘im…” Race couldn’t finish. Crutchie held him.

“T-Then he said he had e-enough of Jack’s shit… an-and he…” Albert got lost in sobs as well.

“He stabbed him.” Davey said, he hadn’t stopped thinking about it.

“Did you boys see?” Medda asked, holding him so tight. They shook their heads. “Did you get to say goodbye?” They nodded.

“I-I wish we coulda said more.” Crutchie sobbed. Race nodded. 

“W-we tried ta help… and-and tell ‘im he was goin ta Santa Fe….” Race sobbed. Medda cried more. 

“Good Racer… good boy.” She said holding her bab so close again. She remembered her first moment with Jack.

_ The little boy sat outside her theatre all cold and alone. She opened the door.  _

_ “Hey baby… it’s cold out… please come inside.” She said. He listened and went inside. This boy looked oddly familiar.  _

_ “I’m Mrs.Medda, what’s your name?” _

_ “J-Jack Kelly…” _

_ “Jack Kelly? You don’t happen to be Michael Kelly’s son do you?” She asked. He looked up at her. _

_ “T-that was my dads name…” _

_ Was…  _

_ She knew he was gone but hearing that from the child was heartbreaking. _

_ “And your mama is?” _

_ “She’s dead too.” _

_ She knew that as well… this can’t be their little boy… could it? _

_ “No baby… I didn’t mean it like that. What was her name?” _

_ “Oh… Anne.” _

_ “Jack baby, I knew your parents…” She said. He lit up. _

_ “Really?” A little smile _

_ “Yes. They were very good people.” _

_ “Mhm.” _

_ “Now what were you doing on the streets?” _

_ “I got tired… I’s really sorry…” _

_ “Don’t be. Stay here all night. You’re with Medda now.” She said. The small boy hugged her and smiled. Once he opened up, he did not stop talking. She adored him. That night she took him to a place where he could sleep. _

_ “Mrs.Medda?” _

_ “Yes baby?” _

_ “Can you tell me about mama and pop…” _

_ “Of course baby.” She scooped him up and cradled him, telling a story she knew he would love. And he did. He was beginning to fall asleep.  _

_ “Jack?” _

_ “Yes?” _

_ “Don’t be afraid to come back here. You are always welcome.” _

_ “Thank you…” He said falling asleep in her arms. _

He was still curled up in her arms. He was never afraid to snuggle with her, his “honorary mother” as he said. She wanted to hold him forever. But the boy curled up in her arms was no longer here.

“He’s with his parents…” She said.

“He’s with his parents in Santa Fe…” Crutchie said. She nodded.

“Boys, we’re going to have a funeral for him, a real one.”

“In a church?”

“Yes, I’ll pay for everything. Jack was a gift to this world taken too soon and he deserves a proper goodbye.” She said. They nodded.

They left her alone with Jack. She needed to be alone with the child who’s practically her son, just not by blood.

They had to tell Katherine and Spot.

Medda sobbed even more while being alone with her boy. She knew he wasn’t hurting anymore but she knew this was no easy death. Anything but peaceful. He was suffering, and although he was alone with the boys that may have scared him more. He was suffering around the kids he wanted to be brave for. 

“You’re a hero baby. I love you so much, tell mommy and daddy I said hi.” She kissed his forehead. After she forced herself to stop crying and made sure Jack was getting the funeral he deserved. Cops showed up once she said what happened and arrested Snyder without a problem. 

The only problem was that they were too late. It took Jack to die before anything was done. His body was cleaned. He looked even more peaceful now. She couldn’t accept the fact that her baby was gone.

Jack Kelly, her honorary son was gone. 

Her Jack Kelly-Larkin.

  
“Jack Kelly, I love you so much. Rest well angel.” She kissed his forehead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Medda :((((


	2. Katherine

The boys made their way to  _ The Sun _ taking off their hats, knowing that was respectful. Katherine opened the door to all the sobbing boys.

“You made it out!” She smiled. Then noticed they were all sobbing. “Come inside, what's wrong?”

“S-Sit down.” Davey said. She nodded.

“Where’s Jack?”

“Kath… Jack was getting beat… he was taking beatings for all of us. Snyder hates Jack…. A-always has.”

“Where is he?” She asked.

“Kath… S-Snyder stabbed him.”

“So he’s at the doctor? Can we go-”

“Jack is dead Kath!” Race broke down. He couldn’t take it anymore. 

“What?”

“H-He…” They sobbed. “Kath… you know he liked ya… He would want you to know t-that he did…” He said. That's when she broke down. 

“Mrs.Pulitzer, why do you have-” Someone started.

“PULITZER!?” 

“Boys-”

“Yer FATHER did this! Yer father sent us all ta jail! Jack isn’t fucking alive because-”

“I am not my father! I was on your side. I AM on your side. Why do you think I work here instead of  _ The World _ !?”

“You-”

“Race… she didn’t do n-nothin… please…” Crutchie said. Race broke again.

“I-I’s sorry K-Kath… I know it ain’t… I…”

“I know. I know. Race I promise you. W-What can I do to help.”

“Medda’s paying fer a funeral… come… he would want you there for sure.”

“I promise. I promise I will. Oh my god I-”

“Mrs.Pulitzer, they have to leave...”

“I’m going with them.” She said.

“What?”

“My friend is dead. That’s why they’re here. I-I need to go…”

“Oh of course… I’m so sorry.” He said, she nodded.

“Where you goin…” Race asked.

“Not home.”

“But-”

“My father is the reason Jack is dead right now. I am not going home.”

“You can come to the lodging house if ya want…” Race said. She nodded.

“W-Wheres Jack…”

“Medda’s… Kath he’s basically her fucking kid… plus people are comin ta get ‘im and-” Race teared up all over again. Jack was really gone. “We can’t take ‘im… can’t h-have a dead body… plus none of us could look at ‘im… he….”

“We got to say goodbye… Medda didn’t… you didn’t-” Albert said.

“Spotty didn’t…” Race said.

“You gonna tell him?”

“Who else…” He said. 

“Kath… you wanna stop by yer place? Get somethin a little more comfortable… pack… I dunno…”

“Oh, yes… good idea.” SHe said. They walked to her place.

“Stay here okay?” She asked. They nodded.

She walked inside.

“Katherine? Why are you home?” Her father asked. Why was HE home? Oh right… the strike.

She ignored him.

“Katherine! I am speaking to you-”

“And I’m not listening.”

“You’ve been with those boys too much. You never spoke back. That Kelly is-” 

“Jack Kelly is dead!” She shouted. “Jack is dead because you had to be greedy! Snyder stabbed him this morning! He died in their arms!”

“Don’t be ridiculous-”

“The boys are outside. Do you want to ask!?”

“Where are you going-”

“With them. I can’t be with you knowing you let a seventeen year old die!”

“I didn’t do it, Katherine.”

“No, but you let them get dragged off. You know how Snyder treats them.”

“Jack is used to it.”

“Is he? How can you say that! You can’t get used to that! He’s dead now! Is that being used to it!” She said as tears streamed down her face.

“Katherine, I didn’t know he would-”

“No one did. Snyder’s not predictable. But you knew he hits and beats the kids, you knew he hated those boys, you knew he hated JACK. and you also knew Jack would not allow those kids to be hurt. Even if he wasn’t dead, he’d be in horrible condition! All because of you!” She said.

“Katherine, we can fix this-”

“How!? How are you going to fix this!? He’s DEAD! He’s not coming back! That was their best friend, that was Mrs.Medda… the woman in the theater… he’s practically her son! He was my….”

_ My what… _

“You get the point. Jack was a good person. Arrogant? Yes. But he was good. He did everything for those kids waiting for me outside. He did everything to make people smile. Now he’s gone. All because you wanted to raise the price of their papers without talking to them. You know that’s not right. Lower them. How many more of those boys have to die?” She said and walked out. Race held his arms out. She accepted the embrace.

“What’s wrong Kath?”

“He’s home…”

“And yer still comin?”

“I just screamed at him… I’m furious, Race. Yes I’m coming.” She said. They nodded.

“I...I gotta go see Spot… I’ll be back tonight.”

“Bye Race.”

“Bye…” He said and began walking off. The boys got Katherine to the lodging house. They knew everything she had on was uncomfortable so they gave her spare clothes. For the most part they just sat, talking and crying about Jack. Everything They wished they could have said. Katherine also learned how Crutchie and Race comforted Jack in his last few seconds, which broke her heart.

“Ya know… Kath, if Jackie was here… he’d say you’s one cute newsie… he’d be makin so many moves… Kath I ain’t ever see ‘im like that with a goirl. He really liked you.”

“I really liked him… and I hate it because I’m realizing how much I did and he’s not here.” She blinked back tears. They hugged her. They then told her more about Jack. Silly childhood stories, scarier stories. 

Jack was the best.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kath :((((
> 
> Spot's isn't very fun at all so... get ready for that one


	3. Spot

Race made his way to Brooklyn. Maybe the fresh air would help.didn’t take him long to find Spot at all. 

“Race? What’s wrong?” He asked. Race collapsed in his arms

“Woah! What happened? A-Are you crying? Race you know I ain’t good with this… where’s Jack-” Race sobbed harder.

“What? D-Did something happen?”

“Jack’s dead Spot.” He blurted out, sobbing. Spot looked mad. 

“Race! That ain’t fucking funny! You don’t joke about someone dying!”

“I’s not kidding!” He sobbed. “Please don’t yell at me…” He broke down. “I don’t know w-what to do… J-Jack died i-in my….” He sobbed into Spot’s shirt. 

“I-In yer what…”

“Arms Spot! Jack fucking died in my arms and I couldn’t do anything! I-I couldn’t help him! I couldn’t save him! I-I-”

“Shh shh.” Spot held him.

“Race, what happened?”

“He-He said Spida couldn’t hurt us…”

“So Spida hurt him?”

“Spida stabbed him Spot… right here.” He pointed. “He… He was dying… and he knew he was… then Spider told me what his last words are and…” His words were lost.

“Racer...” Spot held him.

_ Spot doesn’t Cry.  _

_ Spot isn’t crying. _

_ He was NOT crying.  _

At least that's what Race believed until he pulled away. Spot was sobbing. It was silent but he was. Spot. The brave Spot Conlon, sobbing. Race wasn’t sure if Spot knew he was crying. No one said anything. Not one word from either of them for thirty minutes.

“Spot…”

“Where is he?”

“M-Medda’s… we’s gonna have a real funeral… like in a church… s-so he’s with M-Medda until they t-take him.”

“Jesus fuck Race… I-I didn’t get to say goodbye…” He said. “...Ya know what the last thing I said ta Jack was?”

“What?”

“I fucking denyed the strike! Until you guys prove you wasn’t backing down! Now Jack’s fucking dead… and it might not have happened if more kids showed up…”

“Spot! It ain’t yer fault! Please don’t think like that!”

“Racer I-”

“Spot! Spida’s hated Jack fer like… ever… if he did this taday he was gonna do it one day no matta what… it ain’t yer fault! Don’t blame yerself… Jack wouldn’t want you to and I know you know that.”

“Jack… Jack would  _ still _ find a way to blame himself.” Spot managed between sobs.

“Y-Yeah…” Race sadly laughed. “This hurts so much more than losing my folks…”

“Yeah, same here… that's cause my parents were assholes… Jack was good… Jack was a good friend… I-I wish I showed him that more.”

“I-I wish I could take back every fight we had…”

“Race, ya know how you told me not ta blame myself, ‘s not what Jack would want…”

“Mhm.”

“Don’t think about the bad stuff… only the fun. Think about every piggyback ride, tickle fight, pillow fight....” Spot said. Race hugged him. 

“Spot…. W-when I go home… Jack won’t be there…” He froze. “I have to take care of the boys Spot! Now! I-I…”

“Hey, Jack is always right there.” He pointed to his heart. Race hugged him. “And… Jack took care of everyone when he was thirteen… You cam do it Race”

“J-Jack had help… Backbone would come and help if it was getting too stressful, especially cause Jack was so young. I-I always though he’d b-be there to help…”

“Yeah I get that… Look, I’ll help you if you need. Backbone will too right?”

“Mhm… but, you know that ain’t the same.”

“I know… want me to walk you back? We can talk more, it’ll help both of us.”

“Please.” He said.

Race told Spot stories. The time he and Jack were running to Brooklyn and he fell, and the time Jack fell. He told him stories Jack would tell him. Spot let him talk. Until he got there. 

“Night Race. You ain’t sleepin tonight, but, be safe.” Spot hugged him.

“Night Spotty… please come by tomorrow… we ain’t sellin.”

“Yeah… Night.” He hugged him tight. “Don’t be afraid to cry, Race. I know you had Jack ta look up to but he held back his emotions kiddo. The only way to… get over it-”

“I don’t wanna get over it…”

“Not like that. I jus’ mean the only way to... cope is dealing with your emotions.”

“But Jack-”

“I know Jack wouldn’t. Please Racer, deal with your emotions.”

“Okay… bye Spotty.” He hugged him, tearing up again.

“Bye Racer.” He ruffled his hair. 

Spot walked off. 

When he got back to his lodging house he broke the news to the boys. The boys were upset. Jack may have teased all of them but they were friends. Jack  _ was _ their friend. They all cried. The boys never saw Spot cry. They knew he was good friends with Jack and accepted it. He had every right to be upset. And he blamed himself on top of it. He knew he shouldn’t, Jack would be upset if he did. He couldn’t help himself. If Brooklyn showed up this could have been avoidable. He just thought about his last conversation with Spot. 

_ “Spotty!” Jack ran up, that big stupid grin. _

_ “What do ya want Kelly? Not in the mood. N’ who the hell is this?” _

_ “Davey! A walkin mouth. Davey, Spot. Spot, Davey.” ‘ _

_ “Yeah. Alright mouth…” _

_ “Spotty, we’s goin on strike cause-” _

_ “Yeah, I heard Jackie boy.” _

_ “So you’ll help us!?” That big stupid hopeful smile. Spot laughed, Jack sure was a dreamer. _

_ “You stupid? No Jack. You ain’t serious.” He said. Jack’s smile vanished. _

_ “But-” _

_ “What Pulitzer did isn’t okay. We can do this. Everyone else would agree if we have Brooklyn. Pulitzer will lose money, he’s rich, he’d hate that. Thats why he make. We will be able to beat Pulitzer.” David said. Jack smiled at him. _

_ “Wow Kelly, you’s right. Mouth.” He smirked.  _

_ “Yeah I know. So… you’s in?” He grinned.  _

_ “No.” He laughed. “Tell ya what Kelly. Prove to me you won’t back down at the first sign of trouble. If ya actually got the guts ta do that, ya got Brooklyn.” Spot said. Jack looked hopeful again.  _

_ “Deal?” He spit in his hand. _

_ “Deal.” Spot did the same and shook it. _

_ “Promise we won’t back down. See ya soon Shorty.” He smirked. _

_ “Fuck off Kelly. Nice ta meet ya Mouth.” _

_ “You too Spot…” He said. The two of them turned to go back to Manhattan.  _

_ “Bye asshole! See ya!” _

_ “Bye dumbass, don’t be fucking stupid, remeber don’t back down and we gotcha.” He said, Jack smirked at him with a nod and ran off. _

“We gotcha…” He said to himself. 

He should have just agreed. 

He’d never see Jack’s big dumb stupid smile or smirk. 

Spot and Jack teasing each other was their thing. But that was beyond teasing. He denied Jack. He could have helped and Jack  _ could _ still be here. 

  
  


~~~~~

Race went inside and took Spot’s advice. He sobbed all night. The boys didn’t care, they were crying too. Race, Katherine, Albert and Crutchie were all around each other and sobbing. They knew they wouldn’t sleep. They went to the rooftop. Jack’s penthouse. They looked at his drawings. He was so good. He had an amazing picture of the sky. One start star out.

“It’s his favorite. That one right there.” Crutchie pointed. They looked up at it.

“I love you Jack.” Race closed his eyes. He opened them again, looking at the star. He promised himself whenever he wanted Jack he would just look at that star and have a little bit of Jack left.

Jack’s star. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and theres spot.... kinda sorta sad


End file.
